When It’s Time To Say Goodbye…

(ThySistas.com) Though some of us are right at the start of our lives and some of us are in the twilight, we’re all on our way out. While it’s never pleasant to think about, death is something none of us can escape, and saying goodbye to a loved one is among the hardest things anyone will have to deal with. If you know you’re going to have to cross this difficult bridge soon, here’s some advice to make it a little easier.

Don’t Think You’re Supposed to Know What to Do

In almost every culture on earth, death is a major taboo, and many people have a hard time even bringing it up. Dealing with our own death, let alone the death of someone we love, is something we’re never really taught to do, and many people are liable to panic when they know someone’s death is on the horizon. At the very least, you’ll be extremely ill at ease, as you won’t know what to do. Start by simply understanding the state of affairs you’re faced with, and avoid pressuring yourself to always do the right thing. Also, as distressed as you may be, don’t dump your emotional mess on other people, most importantly the person who’s dying.

Contribute to a Peaceful Environment

When someone’s reaching the end of their life, they have enough to worry about with their own condition, which may include both physical and emotional pain, intense fear, confusion, regret, and other unpleasant sensations. It’s safe to assume that causing any discord in their environment will only make things harder for them, and be an act of cruelty on the part of the person responsible.

Creating a peaceful environment around people who are dying should always be a given, which is why institutions like Alpha Omega Hospice are set up all over the world. Even if your loved one is unconscious, you should assume that they can still hear and sense people around them, and can be affected by it. If stressed family members are bickering, take it outside. The place where your loved one is passing away should be sacred; a room where only love and comfort is allowed.

Respect their Decisions

A person who’s coming to the end of their life is the boss, no matter what their loved ones think or what the doctors say about their condition. If your loved one is conscious enough to make their own decisions and requests, don’t try to manipulate them into what you think is best. Just as you’re sure that the decisions you make for yourself are right for you, have some certainty that your loved one’s decisions are right for them. Ideally, we’d all like to get our affairs in order before we leave this world. Unfortunately, this often isn’t the case. Whatever financial and legal questions are coming up due to your loved one passing, try to forget the frantic stress of it all for a moment, and align yourself with the dying person’s wishes.